


Day Two Hundred Sixty-Eight || A Musician's Life

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [268]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 05:24:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20791346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Sasuke's watched his brother pursue a passion for music all his life. And now...he'll get to do that with Hinata, too.





	Day Two Hundred Sixty-Eight || A Musician's Life

It’s still a little weird to be here, knowing that his brother has graduated. Itachi and Sasuke may only have shared one year of college together, but...that _does_ mean that this is the first Sasuke is doing without his big brother wandering the same campus.

As he’d hinted, Itachi has gone straight from college studying music, to playing in their city’s local orchestra. He even gets to work with live shows and plays, being down in the pit as the story is told on stage. Summer has been rather busy for him, but in a good way - Sasuke has rarely seen his brother so happy. All his years of studying to play piano as well as he does have paid off, and now he does what he loves for a living. Sasuke’s done his best to go to as many shows as he can in support. Itachi gets him in free when he can, but...otherwise the costs have added up, so a few have been missed for the first time since he started going to his brother’s performances.

But that’s not all Summer has brought his elder brother. The lady he’d done his duet performances with - the big Winter concert, and then the one just before his graduation - managed to get work in the same troupe...and though it was rather obvious to Sasuke, Itachi eventually admitted that they’d started going steady after the school year ended.

And that made Sasuke happy. Maybe a little melancholy, maybe a little jealous (it’s his only sibling, after all), and...maybe just a touch envious. He himself has never dated anyone - high school was too full of drama, studying, and avoiding most girls for him to have even considered it.

But Itachi wasn’t the only person he got to see play the past year. The skilled freshman soloist - the harpist, Hinata - caught his eye...or, rather his ear. Speaking with her after the Winter concert had shown a bit of a spark, and he’d gotten to see her a few times after that, including a few rehearsals for his brother that Hinata lent a hand for despite having no place in the show herself.

Summer, however, saw her fairly busy. The song she’d played for him - the one she’d written for the upcoming contest - was one of his last excuses to see her before they both got swamped with their own responsibilities over the break. For Hinata, it was traveling back across the state to retreat home until Autumn. And for Sasuke, it was getting a temporary job at a grocery store until classes started up again.

They’ve texted quite a bit, but haven’t seen each other since a short visit a few weeks after the year let out. In a way...he’s a bit nervous. They haven’t exactly committed to anything, but...there’s been the occasional message he hasn’t been sure about: if it was meant to be flirty or not. And a few experimental ones of his own haven’t elicited the most telling or responses.

He likes her. He never expected to, given their rather chance meeting, but...he does. She’s sweet, funny, shy, and passionate about what she does. Compared to his own rather...mundane way of getting through life, she’s been like a breath of fresh air.

Especially when she sends him clips of her playing. It’s not her voice he gets to hear, but...it still feels just as telling of what she wants to say. It’s odd...he’s never been the musical kind, himself. That was always Itachi’s role, while his has been more the ways of logic and facts and...numbers.

“_You might not _make _music, but you do _know _it. Even if you think you don’t.”_

Sasuke had never really considered that before she said it. It’s true enough - he doesn’t play an instrument, and he’s never had the guts to try to sing. But after so many years of listening to his brother play, and seeing how much he loves it, he still has a pretty good understanding of it, overall.

He’ll never live a musician’s life, but...two people who mean a lot to him will. And while he can’t walk it the way they do, he still plans on being there as best he can.

So maybe he doesn’t have as much to fear from seeing her again as he thinks.

He moves into his apartment a few days before classes start - nothing special, but close to campus and about the same price as he’d pay for a tiny, privacy-less dorm room. Worth it, in his opinion, to have his own bathroom, shower, and a place to sleep without dealing with someone else. Once all his few belongings are moved into place, he sits on his bed and pulls out his phone, shooting a text to Hinata.

[ settled in, hbu? ]

She’s still in a dorm, and has clearance to move in today, too. There’s no reply for a while, so he goes about putting the last few odds and ends away before hearing his message notification sound.

[ getting there, it’s super crowded! noisy too - gonna be jealous of your peace and quiet ]

He can’t help a soft laugh to himself.

[ feel free to come indulge whenever you want, I won’t mind ]

[ careful, I might actually take you up on that! ]

[ I’d be happy to have you ]

She goes quiet again, so he sighs and just...browses social media on his phone. He could be doing any number of things, but he’s honestly not in the mood...if anything, he might just take a nap.

[ hey, you wanna meet up, btw? could totes get some lunch or sm…? ]

Sasuke blinks at the invite, lip twitching at her verbiage. Totes? Do people still say that? He really wasn’t expecting to see her _that_ soon, but...really, what’s holding him back beyond being a little nervous?

[ sure, meet you at the mess hall - you good in like 10? ]

[ yeah, I can be there then! just unpacking and honestly I can use a break lol ]

[ cool, sys ]

Phone, wallet, and keys tucked into his pockets, he locks up and strolls toward campus. Already the trees are turning color, a definite briskness to the air as he goes. Maybe he should have brought his jacket...it wasn’t this cool earlier. Oh well, he doesn’t want to be late. Instead, he just shrugs his shoulders against the chill until he gets there.

To his surprise, he beats her. Hanging around the entrance, he only perks up once she shows, looking around before spotting him. “Hey!”

“Hey.”

“You weren’t waiting for a very long time, were you?”

“Nah, just a few minutes.”

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, well...let’s get some food! I had to skip breakfast this morning to make it here on time for move-in, so I’m starving!”

“How’s your dorm?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Pretty typical. My roomie seems n-nice. She’s pre-med, actually! I think we’ll get along. What about you? Gonna be lonely out in an apartment like that?”

“Honestly, the dorm life was a pain last year, so I’m happy for it. I’ll still be around for classes and library stuff. Might come pester you at some of your practices if you want.”

Hinata brightens. “I-I’d like that, yeah!”

“Still pursuing music?”

“Of course! I can’t wait for the first concert...I’ve missed playing with a full ensemble. How’s your brother doing, by the way? I haven’t had much chance to talk to him.”

“Good, he’s still with the local orchestra. Still dating miss duet.”

Hinata can’t help a small, wry smile. “Good. I can’t wait to get a job somewhere playing...it’s gonna be awesome. Maybe I’ll end up with him!”

“He could put in a good word for you, and he’ll be well in it by then.”

From there, they just...slip into conversation as though no time has really passed. Texting helped, of course...but he’s still happy to see her, and hear her voice. It really makes it obvious how much he really _missed_ her.

“So, uh…”

“Hm?”

He fiddles with his fork for a moment. “...gonna be pretty busy this year?”

“Probably...my first quarter is going to be pretty heavy.”

Ah, darn. “Yeah, uh...mine too. Still not a hundred percent sure about the law thing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I dunno. I’ve never really had a _calling_ like you and Itachi.”

“Well, that’s all right! Not everyone gets a career in something they love. For a lot of people, it’s more like...your job supports your hobby, which is what makes you happy, you know?”

“Guess so.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Huh?”

“About if I’ll be busy?”

Oh...uh… “Just...curious. Guess neither of us are gonna have a lot of free time, huh?”

“Maybe not...we’ll have to see how courses shake out, I suppose. But, um…” Hinata hesitates, going a light shade of pink. “I’d...I’d like to still make time to see you! I haven’t really...made many friends here. And you’re really the only one who kept in contact over break.”

“Really?”

“Mhm…”

“Well, uh...I’d like that. Seeing you, I mean.” There’s a beat of silence. “...I’d...like to see you a lot, actually. Like, uh…”

She blinks, looking a little unsure what he means.

Nerves make him hesitate. “Y’know, like..._seeing each other_. Like...like dating…?”

Another blink, eyes wide and...mouth silent.

...he just messed this all up, didn’t he?

“You...you’d like to…?”

“I dunno, I just…” A hand itches his neck. “...I really like you. Maybe I’m reading this all wrong, but...I just...do. I just wasn’t sure if you read it that way, too…?”

Another pause, and then her face ducks a few degrees, smiling shyly and going pink. “...I...I think I’d like that.”

“Yeah?”

“...yeah! But...I guess if we’re busy, then…”

“Well, we’ll just...have to work around it, I guess. I don’t mind. I just like...talking to you. Seeing you. Doesn’t matter how often.”

“...o-okay! Then...yeah! We can...we can try that,” Hinata affirms, beaming softly.

“All right, cool. Guess I’ll just have to start going to all of _your_ concerts, too.”

“...I’d like that.”

“...me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Aaand last upload for tonight! Still a day behind, but it could be worse :'D
> 
> So this is a pretty big throwback all the way to days 12 and 86! Our little musical AU where Itachi and Hinata both are into music, and Sasuke...well, he listens xD This one's pretty cute, so I was happy to write a little more of it!
> 
> But on that note (haha, get it, NOTE? ...sorry, I'm exhausted...), I better head to bed! Thanks for reading~


End file.
